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This invention relates generally to seating apparatus for the physically impaired, and particularly to a transfer seat apparatus which may also be combined as a shower chair and commode.
Those who are physically challenged typically require some form of assistance from others or from various assistive devices in accomplishing daily tasks. One general form of adaptive aid equipment for the handicapped is generally in the form of a transfer seat. Such adaptive aids allow the handicapped or weakened user to take a seated position and then be manually moved a desired distance laterally such as in being positioned over a bathtub area or commode.
One such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,704 invented by Dagostino which teaches a combination commode and shower chair apparatus wherein the chair section will rollably translate on spaced parallel track members a distance sufficient to position the user over a bathtub area, the positioning of the chair being initially outside of and adjacent to the bathtub.
A tub shower seat invented by Mace is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,472,844 which discloses a stationary apparatus positionable over a bathtub and having an auxiliary seat surface which covers and straddles the edge of the tub for protectively supporting a handicapped user. Another similar device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,256 invented by Hatala.
A somewhat more complex device than that invented by Dagostino as disclosed in the above-referenced ""704 patent is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,591 invented by Myers. This invention is also directed to a shower-commode chair and transfer track used in a fashion somewhat similar to the Dagostino device.
None of the above-referenced devices, however, provide a seat swivel or pivot feature wherein the user may rotate through, e.g. 90xc2x0 during the transfer or lateral translational movement of the seat section of the apparatus. In many instances, such rotational or pivotal movement is quite useful to the handicapped person in both ingress and egress and in the transfer itself. One such device which accomplishes a manual swiveling and independent translational movement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,751 invented by Baker. This invention is directed to a shower chair and bathtub transfer assembly which allows the user, minimally physically impaired, to be seated atop the seat section, swivel through about 90xc2x0 and then laterally translate to a position over the bathtub area.
Another such manually swivelable and independently translating or transferring apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,218 invented by McCartney. This invention also provides a seat structure for easy access to bathtubs and includes both structural and independent translational features of the seat section.
A number of prior art inventions are directed primarily to the swiveling or rotation of a seat section while a person is seating thereupon. One such invention is disclosed by Roesler in U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,542 teaching a bathing chair which is lockably engageable within the wall and bottom panels of a conventional bathtub and provides both manual swiveling and limited linear translation of the support chair with respect to its anchored base within the bathtub.
Potvin, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,328 also teaches a swivel open bottom seat assembly for pivotally moving a toilet seat support structure into operative position over the commode while the user is seated thereon.
Another device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,390,378 invented by Janisch teaches a bathtub seat arrangement which provides independent free manual rotation and lateral translation of the seat section with user thereatop with the apparatus being positioned over a bathtub. Another bathtub-related invention is shown by Shapiro as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,150,482 disclosing a bath chair having suction cup engagement for rigid engagement to the floor of a bathtub or shower stall. Independent rotation and elevation of the chair portion of this invention is provided.
My prior invention in U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,809 provides an apparatus which dependently and controlledly laterally translates a person seated atop the seat portion of the present invention directly responsive to rotation of the seat section. By this arrangement, lateral translation is thus dependently controlled by manual rotation of the seat portion. The present invention improves this prior apparatus by adding a pivoted leg lifting panel which allows an assistant to easily lift both legs together as the seat section is rotated and translated.
This invention is directed to a transfer seat apparatus structured for simultaneous dependent slidable translation during manual rotation, through preferably about 90xc2x0 of rotation, of a seat section of the apparatus with a person seated atop the seat section. The apparatus is particularly useful for transferring a physically impaired or weakened person into a bathtub or over a collecting basin when adapted and used as a commode. Thus, as the seat section is rotated with the person seated thereon, lateral linear translation is simultaneously effected which is dependently responsive to manual seat section rotation. A pivotally connected leg lifting panel is also provided to assist in lifting both legs simultaneously.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an apparatus for assisting physically impaired or weakened persons when seated atop the invention to be rotated through approximately 90xc2x0 and simultaneously dependently moved or transferred laterally into position over a bathtub, shower, commode or other useful positioning of the person.
It is still another object of this invention to provide an apparatus which dependently and automatically controls lateral translation of a person seated atop the seat section of the invention as the seat section is manually rotated.
It is still another object of this invention to provide an apparatus for assistedly laterally translating and simultaneously rotating a person seated atop the invention while easily elevating and supporting both legs together at the same time to facilitate bathing or showering, positioning over a commode and other useful lateral transfers.
In accordance with these and other objects which will become apparent hereinafter, the instant invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.